East Elementary School fourth- and fifth-graders turned long white lightweight pipes into shapes last week.

And began seeing connections between things, in the process.

Dr. Mallory Bagwell of The Movement Company brought his Geodesic Dome Project to the East gymnasium, and told the students that "shape affects behavior."

Try rearranging the seats in a classroom, and "see if your teacher or your behavior changes," Bagwell told the youngsters.

Bagwell told Sharon Patch that, through his program, students "start seeing some real-life applications for what triangles are supposed to do."

"These don't have to be pipes. These can be concepts," he said.

The East PTO funded Bagwell's program.

Bagwell said he also visited the Cottage Street School and the Heights Elementary School during this school year.